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Latest Key Developments

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Ofcom Approve Satellite Networks to Deliver 4G and 5G to UK Smartphones

9th Dec, 2025 (11 Comments)

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today approved UK mobile companies and satellite operators to join forces and use the airwaves (mobile spectrum bands) to support Direct to Device (D2D) services, which will allow standard unmodified Smartphones to connect via satellites to improve 4G and 5G (calls, texts and broadband) coverage in remote areas and roaming.

Virgin Media UK Fined £23.8m Over Poorly Handled Digital Phone Migrations

1st Dec, 2025 (20 Comments)

Broadband ISP and phone provider Virgin Media (O2) has today been hit with a £23.8 million fine by telecoms regulator Ofcom, which occurred after they were found to have “failed to protect vulnerable telecare customers” during their programme to migrate them from analogue phone services to IP-based digital landlines.

Concern as UK Broadband ISP Brsk Hit by Major Customer Data Breach

27th Nov, 2025 (31 Comments)

Alternative broadband ISP Brsk, which last year merged with Netomnia’s growing multi-gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network (here), has reportedly been hit by a major data breach that is claimed to have resulted in 230,105 customer records being exposed to hackers. The database has since been put up for sale.

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Openreach Reveal UK Pilot Pricing for 3.3Gbps FTTP Home Broadband Tier

27th Nov, 2025 (48 Comments)

Network operator Openreach (BT) has this afternoon revealed the first pricing for their forthcoming pilot of XGS-PON based Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP lines, which is due to get underway in March 2026. But for now they’re only revealing how much they’ll charge for the 3.3Gbps (3300Mbps) tier.

Openreach Officially Closes First Legacy UK Exchange – Deddington

26th Nov, 2025 (20 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today confirmed that the first of their pilot programme of old exchange closures – Deddington (pictured) – has finally shut its doors and slightly ahead of schedule. The move also means that Deddington is the first UK location to see the closure of BT’s copper based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

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Ofcom – Gigabit Broadband Covers 87 Percent of UK as 5G Hits 97 Percent

19th Nov, 2025 (10 Comments)

Ofcom has today released their Connection Nations 2025 digital infrastructure report earlier than usual, which reveals that residential gigabit-capable broadband ISP networks now cover 87% of the UK (up from 84% in 2024), while outdoor 5G coverage from at least one mobile operator is available to 97% of premises (up from 95%). But rural cover remains weaker.

House of Lords Report Calls for UK Broadband Investment to Boost Home Working

17th Nov, 2025 (7 Comments)

The cross-party Home-based Working Committee (Lords Select Committee) has published its report on remote and hybrid working in the UK, which among other things finds that the government should “increase long-term investment in digital infrastructure, particularly broadband” in order to properly support such working.

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Ofcom Consult on Impact of Openreach PIA on the UK Leased Line Market UPDATE

17th Nov, 2025 (2 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today opened a “narrow consultation” that proposes to amend their leased line access (LLA) market analysis for the ongoing Telecoms Access Review 2026 (TAR) to reflect a “greater potential impact” from Openreach’s Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product (this allows rivals to run new fibre via existing cable ducts and poles).

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Openreach Raises Prices on Copper Lines to Boost UK Fibre Broadband Adoption

12th Nov, 2025 (30 Comments)

Openreach has today announced above inflation price hikes on some of their older copper-based line products for UK internet and phone providers, which are designed to “encourage” comms providers to upgrade their customers to “digital alternatives” and full fibre (FTTP) technology; before legacy services are switched off in January 2027.

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Ofcom Predict 97 Percent of UK Covered by Gigabit Broadband in Jan 2028

8th Nov, 2025 (9 Comments)

Somehow, we overlooked that the telecoms regulator had published the fourth edition of their forecast for Planned Network Deployments, which has revised down its expectations of future coverage after UK broadband operators did the same. The report now predicts that full fibre (FTTP) lines will reach 86-95% of homes by January 2028 – rising to 91-97% for gigabit-capable networks (i.e. FTTP and Cable).

Major UK Phone Providers Agree to Crackdown on Scam Calls and Fraud

5th Nov, 2025 (12 Comments)

A new landmark Telecommunications Charter has today been agreed between several of the UK’s leading broadband, mobile and phone providers, which commits BT (EE), Virgin Media (O2), VodafoneThree, Tesco Mobile, TalkTalk, Sky (Sky Broadband) and the Comms Council UK to a “crack down on scam calls and fraud“. A sub-charter also exists for B2B phone services.

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Gov Push Ofcom to Tackle Mid Contract UK Broadband and Mobile Price Hikes

4th Nov, 2025 (27 Comments)

The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Liz Kendall, has now joined the chorus of displeasure at O2’s recent decision (here) to increase their annual mid-contract price rises beyond what customers agreed when they signed-up. In response, the minister has directed Ofcom’s CEO, Dame Melanie Dawes, to “look at in-contract price rises again“.

Ofcom Warns UK Phone Providers to Ensure Customers Can Contact 999

3rd Nov, 2025 (6 Comments)

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has opened a new compliance programme to assess whether regulated UK phone providers are meeting their obligations concerning the need to ensure access to emergency calls (e.g. 999 and 112). The move comes after a string of broadband and VoIP providers, including BT, Gigaclear and Vonage, were fined over various related failings (here, here and here).

Openreach Cuts UK Price of 1.2Gbps and 1.8Gbps FTTP Broadband Tiers

31st Oct, 2025 (25 Comments)

Network operator Openreach (BT) has today informed ISPs about a “realignment of prices” on their top two fastest Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband tiers – 1.2Gbps and 1.8Gbps (both 120Mbps upstream), which in practice appears to mark a further price reduction. Rivals will perhaps remark that we’ve seen quite a few special offers from the incumbent of late.

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Ofcom Express Disappointment over O2’s UK Mobile Price Hike, But Doesn’t Act UPDATE

30th Oct, 2025 (38 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today said they’re “disappointed” by mobile operator O2’s (Virgin Media) recent decision (here) to increase their annual mid-contract price rises beyond what customers agreed when they signed-up (often above inflation too) and then forcing that upon existing customers. But so far an expression of disappointment is all they’ll do.

Ofcom UK Propose New Rules to Tackle Mobile Messaging Scams

29th Oct, 2025 (12 Comments)

Ofcom has today announced a “comprehensive package of planned measures” that are designed to improve protection for mobile phone users against messaging scams. According to the regulator, some 50% of UK mobile users said they received a suspicious message between Nov 2024 and Feb 2025 via text or iMessage, but it’s hoped today’s changes may reduce that figure.

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BDUK Summarise Progress of UK Project Gigabit Broadband Rollout Contracts

24th Oct, 2025 (12 Comments)

The Government’s (DSIT) Building Digital UK agency has today finally started to publish monthly updates on the delivery progress of contracts that have been awarded under their £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme, which among other things reveals that some 150,730 contracted premises have already been built out of a planned total of 1,002,270 (October 2025).